Beginner’s guide to beekeeping

March 31, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

If you’ve ever thought about venturing into beekeeping, “Homegrown Honey Bees” can tell you what to expect.

The book, billed as “an absolute beginner’s guide,” was written by Alethea Morrison and illustrated with photos by Mars Vilaubi. They’re husband-and-wife beekeepers from Massachusetts who share their challenges, failures and successes to help others get started in beekeeping ventures of their own.

Morrison is clearly a beekeeping cheerleader, but she doesn’t try to make the hobby sound simpler than it is. “Beekeeping is not for the faint of heart,” she writes.

The book covers the basic how-tos and answers such questions as how often you can expect to be stung, how much money you’ll spend and how much time you’ll need to devote to beekeeping. Brief profiles of urban beekeepers from around the country are included.

“Homegrown Honey Bees” is published by Storey Publishing and sells for $14.95 in softcover.

Basket collapses for storage

No space to store laundry baskets?

The Unhampered basket folds flat to about 2 inches deep, so it can be stashed in a narrow space. When it’s unfolded, it’s a sturdy basket with multiple handles, an optional divider to separate your load and a pocket to hold detergent or delicate items.

The basket was invented by Atlanta resident Barbara Miles and developed with support from the online community at Quirky.com.

It can be ordered from the website for $29.99 plus shipping.

McClatchy Newspapers